It is generally considered well known to employ conventional bubble packaging material (i.e., bubble wrap) for packaging or shipping a wide variety of materials and products. Bubble wrap is manufactured by a calendared extrusion process in which two sheets of a material of similar thickness are laminated into a single sheet having a plurality of uniform air pockets. Bubble wrap cannot be molded to a specific shape because it is a flexible sheet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,534 discloses a folding printed circuit board transporter having a top, four sides, a bottom and a flap. In one embodiment, the transporter includes a structural outer layer having an outer surface held to an inner surface by a plurality of integral I-beam members. In other embodiments, the transporter also includes an inner layer of convoluted anti-static foam material, or an inner layer having a plurality of uniform open cells in a hexagonal pattern to provide cushioning and anti-static protection. The inner layer is adhered or glued to the inner surfaces of the transporter.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,627 discloses a package in which an article is placed on a plastic cushioning substrate and in which a second thermoplastic film is laminated to the cushioning substrate to enclose the article. The cushioning substrate is formed of a thin sheet of plastic material having a plurality of closely spaced uniform cellular protrusions formed therein. The cushioning substrate may have a recessed area to accept the article.
It is known to employ an inflatable device within a container to cushion an article therein. The inflatable device may use sheets of material (e.g., PVC) which are sonic or heat welded together around their perimeter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,157 discloses a carrying case for a microcomputer. The carrying case employs a pad including an elongated tubular-shaped membrane having a compressible fill. Alternatively, the pad may include a gas impermeable fabric envelope filled with air or other gas under pressure to insulate the microcomputer from severe mechanical shocks.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,780 discloses a case for carrying a portable computer. The case includes a shell defining an interior recess, a rigid base and a rigid lid mounted on top of the base by a hinge. A plurality of inflatable bladders are secured to the interior surfaces of the base and another bladder is secured to the lid. Insertion of the computer within the interior recess partially collapses one bladder which pressurizes other bladders to tightly engage the computer within the recess.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,876 discloses a remote controller bag which houses a remote controller. The transparent bag has a front entrance opening to a central cavity for the controller, a rear end wall, right side wall, left side wall, cavity floor, bottom wall and top wall. Two pneumatic chambers are mounted within the cavity adjacent to, contiguous with and coextensive with the respective right and left walls, and in communication with the cavity floor and the top wall. The bottom wall has plurality of ribs which project to the bottom surface of the cavity floor and define pneumatic columns therebetween.
Inflatable devices for containers generally require inflation and/or subsequent valving of air chambers. This adds cost and decreases reliability. Furthermore, if multiple air chambers are interconnected and if one air chamber fails, then all of the interconnected air chambers fail.
Cases for carrying computers are well known. Examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,010,988; 5,105,338; 5,160,001; and 5,524,754.
Although it is known to employ a cushioning material within a container for an interior article to provide either a linear or an exponential deceleration of the article upon an exterior impact of the container, further improvements are possible.
There is a need, therefore, for an improved, low cost container for carrying an article.